Amid Gaza War, Israel Debates Postponing Start of School Year

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One of the hot topics on the agenda at Sunday’s cabinet meeting in Jerusalem was whether or not the Israeli school year could begin as scheduled next Monday, even as Hamas and its terrorist allies continue to pound much of the country with rockets and mortars.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu determined that towns and communities in the vicinity of Gaza, those most often targeted by the terrorists, will only open the school year if their respective local school facilities have been reinforced against missile strikes.

Many schools in southern Israel have been reinforced, but not all.

Other options tabled at the meeting were to allow students from southern Israel to attend classes virtually via their home computers, or to hold studies in large community bomb shelters.

In truth, it might not matter what the government decides, because most of the residents of the area known as the “Gaza envelope” fled their homes amidst incessant rocket fire, and vowed they will not return until the IDF can fully curb the threat.

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said the government would provide assistance to any families wishing to relocate away from the Gaza envelope, which to many sounded dangerously close to admitting that Hamas had succeeded in permanently driving Jews away from another part of their promised land.

PHOTO: A young Israeli girl panics during a school drill to teach students what to do in case of a missile attack.

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